50 One-Liners to Pray for the Children

Prayer offsets the

negative health

effects of stress.

— Clay Routledge, Ph.D., Psychologist

There are times when thoughts about the children are followed by the option to worry or to pray.

It may be during an illness when the doctor advises to wait and see. It may be a long separation from a child who is traveling alone for the first time. It may be just an anxious thought crossing the parent’s mind. Rather than worry, prayer is the proven thing to do.

Many parents who believe in the power of prayer also believe in the truth of the Scriptures. When they pray the Scriptures, they are in essence speaking their agreement with the Written Word concerning what God decrees. Plus, when the children’s needs come to mind during the hustle and bustle of the day, there may just enough time for one powerful prayer line from the Scriptures.

That they will have wisdom and good judgment (Proverbs 16:16)

Photo by Edua1230 | Source

Suggested Use of the One-liner Prayers

The following 50 lines (extracted from the New Living Translation) are grouped in 7 categories which are commonly mentioned in a parent’s prayer at various stages of the children’s lives.

Should parents carry the printed lines, they will most likely pray several different prayers for the children at different times throughout the day: while waiting in the doctor’s office, while riding on the bus, or while waiting for the traffic jam to clear.

Also, in a parents' prayer group, the one-liners can be helpful in assigning parents to make different requests on behalf of the children. They are by no means exhaustive, so other lines may be added.

Without a multitude of words, a simple prayer can be very effective:

Start with your preferred way to address God for example, “Heavenly Father” or “Gracious God”;

Continue with “I pray” and complete your prayer with the selected one-liner;

Substitute the children’s names for the pronouns.

Parents never have to be bored or idle when a spare moment can be used to pray one-liners for the children.

For Physical and Mental Health

(1) That they be healthy in body and strong in spirit (3 John 1:2);

(2) That God fills their hearts with joy (Psalm 28:7);

(3) That they experience God’s extraordinary peace (Philippians 4:7);

(4) That they focus on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8);

(5) That the Lord protects them from all sickness (Deuteronomy 7:15);

(6) That God forgives their sins and heals their diseases (Psalm103:3);

(7) That they treat their bodies respectfully as they would the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).

Comments 59 comments

Hi Ms. Dora--Wonderful prayers all in one handy place for me ( and all others) Well done.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Thanks Jay. For me, too. Thanks for your speedy comment.

billybuc 12 months ago from Olympia, WA

Very inspirational, Dora, but I would expect nothing less from you.

Ericdierker 12 months ago from Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A.

All I can say is "done deal". Wonderful, thank you

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Thanks Bill. You're such a great encouragement to me.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Eric, thank YOU for your encouragement.

Jackie Lynnley 12 months ago from The Beautiful South

No better time than to start praying than now is there? Children worldwide need our prayers. God bless you Dora for bringing us the important things in life.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Jackie, I felt that burden for all the children even as I was working on this article. I usually pray for my own children, but I'll start to include them all on a regular basis. Thanks for your feedback.

word55 12 months ago from Chicago

This is special Dora, well done!

lambservant 12 months ago from Pacific Northwest

I was just struggling this afternoon as to how to pray for my 15 year old granddaughter who feels like she has no friends. This will help in praying for my four grown sons, and for my 12 grandchildren. I love this.

Janellegems 12 months ago from Virginia

Excellent Hub and a great layout on specific aspects of a child's life to pray for and the scripture verses to go along with it. This is just wonderful.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Thanks, Word. So glad that you like it.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Lori, happy to write something useful. Pray on for your children and grandchildren. There's much power in a mother's / grandmother's prayer.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Thanks, Janelle. I appreciate your kind feedback.

Faith Reaper 12 months ago from southern USA

Prayer is so powerful and I know that being a mother and now a grandmother, I spent a lot of time in prayer for all the children. Prayer accomplishes a lot, where worry, nothing!

Excellent and useful article, MsDora, as always.

God bless you and yours

FlourishAnyway 12 months ago from USA

MsDora - in a time when our world is filled with terrorism and oppression, it's easy to shut down and isolate. However, opening up children's experiences and pushing them joyfully, courageously forward into the future with a prayer that they may flourish is a better solution. Thank you for arming parents, grandparents, and all who love and care about young people with such eloquence.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Faith, your prayer for your children and grandchildren will benefit them throughout their entire lives. They are blessed to have you and your prayers on their side. Thanks for sharing.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Flourish, I love your expression of pushing the children forward into the future . . . Thanks for your very positive comment.

ChitrangadaSharan 12 months ago from New Delhi, India

Great hub and so important for the children of today's World.

It makes me very sad and concerned to see so much stress, insecurity, violence around the World. It is our responsibility to try to pass on a World full of love, Peace and happiness to the future generations.

The children need our prayers and encouragement more than anything else. Thank you for sharing this wonderful hub!

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Chitrangada, I agree with you about the state of world affairs. Hope this article encourages prayers for the children. Thanks for your comment.

manatita44 12 months ago from london

Pretty inspirational and spot on for children, and rightly quoted as well. A very loving and insightful Hub, and a benchmark for bringing up the young; teaching them about love, life and happiness in the Lord. Praise be!

Frank Atanacio 12 months ago from Shelton

MsDora your hub is an excellent tool.. a guide written to help relax the soul and spirit...quoting passages just to remind us where we came from.... a real need exists in this hub...bless you

gerimcclym 12 months ago from Colorado

Thank you for this very thoughtful article, Dora. I am going to use these very specific prayers throughout the day for the children in my family. I echo Flourish's comments.

lifegate 12 months ago from Pleasant Gap, PA

My youngest daughter just landed in Israel less than an hour ago. These one liners certainly will help. Thanks for a well organized collection of prayers for our children. They certainly need them just like the rest of us. Thanks again!

denise.w.anderson 12 months ago from Bismarck, North Dakota

I like your suggestion, to replace worry with prayer. It helps us to find faith in a moment when we are lacking in it enough that our thoughts have wandered to things that are negative and troublesome. As we do this simple thing, we are filled with confidence in God's tender mercies in behalf of our family members, and we feel a sense of peace.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Manatita, I appreciate your very kind feedback. Thank you.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Frank, I am happy about the effect that these verses have on you. Thanks for your encouraging comment.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Geri, it makes me happy to know that you will uses the prayers. Thanks for your encouragement.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Bill, whatever your daughter is doing in Israel, I pray for her safety and her success. Glad to contribute to your prayers. Thanks for sharing.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Denise, we do need confidence in God's watchful eye over our children. That's the only reason we sleep at night when our children are far away. Thanks for your contribution.

Perspycacious 12 months ago from Today's America and The World Beyond

Wonderful focus on something needed today, and pray remembering that we ourselves are "children" of our loving Heavenly Father.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Good point, Demas. We must include ourselves and request as much favor for us as we request for our children. Thank you for sharing that valuable thought.

Venkatachari M 12 months ago from Hyderabad, India

Nice hub bringing together all prayers for children at one place. Parents always need prayers for their children. And, this post of yours is a good handy one to look for for all times. Thanks for it.

Dora, this is very enlightening. I must admit that, although I've read the Bible from cover to cover and attended Catholic school when I was young, I cannot recite any of the Scriptures. Not that I don't want to... I simply don't remember any of them.

However, I do talk to God and pray for my son and anyone else I feel having a conversation with God will help. I think any way a person connects with God is appreciated by Him. We all have personal ways of connecting. I prefer conversation in my own words. He hears me. I know He does.

DDE 12 months ago from Dubrovnik, Croatia

A beautiful hub and you write from the heart. Prayers help and make you feel good again.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Shauna, that's great. It is honest and genuine when you talk from your heart. I know God hears you too. Thanks for your contribution.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Thanks for your comment, Devika. Prayers take away the worry, and boosts your trust in God.

Barbsbitsnpieces 12 months ago from Napoleon, Henry County, Ohio, USA

Love the pause for Spirituality in a parent's busy schedule! Speed has swallowed the world, it seems some days, and taking time for Prayer may eventually slow it down to sanity. You quote valuable lessons! After all, children are always the next great hope of the world.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Thanks, Barbara. The children themselves are busy; we who are older and wiser know the significance of slowing down and involving God in our lives. Hopefully, our prayer s can affect them and they can learn from us.

aviannovice 12 months ago from Stillwater, OK

Nowadays, especially, children have more challenges in their lives than we even did. They need all the help that they can get.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

True, Deb. Every little line helps. Thanks for your feedback.

Michael-Milec 12 months ago

Hello MsDora.

A powerful message to all the humanity: Praying the Word, a "Hotline to heaven!"-with exclamation point, " parents who believe in the power of prayer also believe in the truth of the Scriptures." Excellent. For one, the Holy Spirit works upon the Word and secondly, the holy angels react directly to the Word. If only, yes if only all parents would love enough their children, they will prioritize to know and speak the Word praying for their childrens' safe, saved and blessed life now and forever. My wife and myself, do practice praying the Word for our "children";- as long as we live we are the parents and as long as "they" live they are our children. Glory to God. The greratest gain of any parent mission on this earth is to " "bring" their children back into the arms of the Father - back Home.

May the Lord bless and protect you always.

swalia 12 months ago

Prayer is our greatest strength.Thanks for sharing these amazing one-liners!

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Michael, it is always a pleasure to hear from you. All your comments including this one adds substance to the message of the article. Thank you and all the best to you and your family.

MsDora 12 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Swalia, glad to know other believers in the power of prayer. Thanks for your comment.

sujaya venkatesh 11 months ago

Good Do! all i know is GOD TEMPLE PRAYERS

MsDora 11 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Sujaya. At least, you know some, and then there are your own that you can submit. Thanks for the comment.

teaches12345 11 months ago

I love your suggestions for prayer. I pray for my children constantly and this will help to cover certain areas. I am sharing this post with other parents.

MsDora 11 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Thank you Teaches, for reading and sharing. Happy that you find the one-liner prayers helpful.

Heidi Vincent 11 months ago from GRENADA

Very important topic and useful hub with all-encompassing one-liner prayers, Dora!

MsDora 11 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Thanks, Heidi. Children are important and praying for them is even more important. I appreciate your affirmation.

Prayer is all powerful and this is a very handy list of prayers for everyone. Thanks for sharing.

MsDora 11 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Rajan, you're right. We can pray these prayers for everyone; I just try to live in an attitude of prayer all day for the children. Everyone counts.

techygran 9 months ago from Vancouver Island, Canada

Dear MsDora-- I read this article a number of days ago and was interrupted at the time and forgot to comment! Well, I'm back to say that this is exactly what I was looking for since I have grandkids AND teach small children at Church. I loved the way you organized this, and I liked the look of the book from Amazon and so ordered it on your site (along with a few other items, impulsive as I can be!) God bless you!

MsDora 9 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Cynthia, good to see you. Thanks for coming back to comment. Happy that you can use the article and I hope that the book is a plus. Blessings on you too and on your ministry with the children!

techygran 9 months ago from Vancouver Island, Canada

Thank you Dora, I cherish your blessings!

yecall 8 months ago from California

I love this idea Ms. Dora. I worry about my children. I do it less than I used to before but I still do it and I really want to stop. They don't like it either. Children want you to smile at them and not look at them with such a worried face.

MsDora 8 months ago from The Caribbean Author

Yecall, the old song asks the question, "Why worry when you can pray?" Do what you can and ask God to make up your parenting deficiences. You're His child too. Thanks for sharing.